Leading Technological Change Resiliently by Applying User-Centered Principles

Technological change is a constant in higher education, and it often spells resistance, conflicting demands, and the prospect of failure before success. How can we ensure technological changes result in better student and staff experiences? How can we build a culture of trust instead of fear in the face of changes? How do we equip ourselves to be in better control of change? As the user experience (UX) lead on major technical transformation projects at the University of Edinburgh, I’ve adopted several approaches, frameworks, and techniques to navigate change resiliently. In this session, I’ll draw on my experience of applying user-centered methodology and insights from behavioral psychology to offer practical, pragmatic advice to empower you to steer change resiliently. I’ll present ways to blend user-centered decisions with technical constraints. I’ll also share tips and reflections for aligning design processes with Agile frameworks for effective leadership and management of adaptive change.